ChromaMagics
What a great start to this trilogy. Yes, perhaps the mechanics of the gameplay are outdated, but for my playthrough, that rarely ever mattered because the gameplay was still fantastic. Had a really good time exploring every inch of this vast world, and I had an even better time creating my own builds for each character. Not only was the gameplay fantastic, but so were the story and the worldbuilding. A commentary on nature vs nurture and how none of us have to be defined by where we come from or who we are, like our main protagonist doesn't have to be either, but that we can be defined by such aspects if we allow our environments to cultivate us into the monsters we fear we become. If we choose so and if he chooses so, that's the path the main protagonist can go on, a path of corruption, allowing his fears, paranoia, and rage over his heritage and what he's went through to twist him into the entities he's fighting, to twist him into the man he'll fight at the end of the game. No matter how much he tries to rationalize what he's doing, like saying that the people he's brutalized is necessary, that doesn't make it true, and deep down, he knows that. My character went down that path, that was his story, and I was more than glad to experience his downfall with him.
Genuinely horrendous.
I don't know why this game is as hated as it is. It was a lot, lot harder than Super Mario Bro's Wonder, even if it's not as innovative or as unique as Wonders is, and because it's a lot harder, the gameplay is also a lot better. I had a blast playing this with my little brother and it reminded me of when I once played this game with my best friend. Solid game. I definitely think this is better than Super Mario Bro's Wonder.
2023
Solid game. Not special in anyway but not horribly bad either. Bosses aren't as hard as I thought they would be and the key/control registration is genuinely awful at times, making the game play even clunkier than it already is.
The dialogue is also very forced on and on the nose for the story, especially that last line from Laddak, "I AM THE LAST FAITH," (get it guys, he's referencing the title of the game.) I don't need him to tell me that he's the Last Faith for me to already have figured it out through the nature of the boss fight and what Laddak deems himself to be, the true God, the last God who will end Erik. Instead of explicitly telling me that he's the "Last Faith," just stick to showing me how he's the Last Faith, show don't tell. The same can be said with Erik's descent into the darkness throughout the game as he's gradually corrupted into a monster, a demon like the ones he fights. I don't need Erik and the NPCs around him to explicitly tell him "you are becoming like the ones you fight, you are losing yourself to the darkness," one million times. Instead, show me how he's becoming like the ones he fights through cutscenes or subtle behavioral changes, make the corruption of his self more natural so that the game isn't just telling me that this is happening but rather it's showing me that it's happening. At the very least, make the dialogue more subtle and natural and not nearly as on the nose and corny as it is. A lot of the dialogue in this game is flat out awful and there's only one line in the game that I genuinely think is relatively decent.
But like I said, still a solid game overall. Had some really nice lore, the boss designs are great, the world is built up pretty well and so is the atmosphere, but in everything it excels at, I can think of other games that do it far better without possessing any of the flaws that The Last Faith has, which is why it's only at a three star, and even THAT is being generous.
The dialogue is also very forced on and on the nose for the story, especially that last line from Laddak, "I AM THE LAST FAITH," (get it guys, he's referencing the title of the game.) I don't need him to tell me that he's the Last Faith for me to already have figured it out through the nature of the boss fight and what Laddak deems himself to be, the true God, the last God who will end Erik. Instead of explicitly telling me that he's the "Last Faith," just stick to showing me how he's the Last Faith, show don't tell. The same can be said with Erik's descent into the darkness throughout the game as he's gradually corrupted into a monster, a demon like the ones he fights. I don't need Erik and the NPCs around him to explicitly tell him "you are becoming like the ones you fight, you are losing yourself to the darkness," one million times. Instead, show me how he's becoming like the ones he fights through cutscenes or subtle behavioral changes, make the corruption of his self more natural so that the game isn't just telling me that this is happening but rather it's showing me that it's happening. At the very least, make the dialogue more subtle and natural and not nearly as on the nose and corny as it is. A lot of the dialogue in this game is flat out awful and there's only one line in the game that I genuinely think is relatively decent.
But like I said, still a solid game overall. Had some really nice lore, the boss designs are great, the world is built up pretty well and so is the atmosphere, but in everything it excels at, I can think of other games that do it far better without possessing any of the flaws that The Last Faith has, which is why it's only at a three star, and even THAT is being generous.
2023
Phenomenal Game. An extremely underrated series that should be acknowledged more. This game was an upgrade to Blasphemous 1 in nearly every way, from making the game play less clunky to expanding even more on the story to introducing new, creative ways to make the platforming more engaging like making it so that the different types of weapons are apart of your platforming experience. Blasphemous 1 definitely has the better boss designs because of how creative and unique they are, but in terms of everything else, Blasphemous 2 makes sure to polish and excel at what it's predecessor excelled at. What a beautiful game.
Played this with my little brother. Good experience. I think the game was a bit too easy at times hence why it's not much higher but nevertheless, not bad at all.
2023
This review contains spoilers
Great FanPrequel. One of the best parts of this game is Clover's characterization and the duality between the Final Pacifist Boss (Ceroba unable to let go of the past, Clover overcoming her allows him to let go of the past crimes that occured against the humans, willing to sacrifice himself for the future of both mankind and monsterkind) and the Final Genocide Fight (Clover unable to let go of the past, the crimes commited against the past humans, unwilling to examine the nuance and circumstances behind why the monsters acted that way like he did in True Pacifist, Clover overcoming Marlet means, as the boss says, the "finality" of him continuing this repetitive conflict and being consumed by a past that will lead him and the future to being, as Flowey says, metaphorically "dead" even if he is literally alive, even if the future will continue, it will always be plagued by the neverending cycle of the past, Marlett willing to give everything in her, even sacrificing herself just so she could ensure a safer future for monsterkind). This duality cements one of the core ideas of the game, that the only way to ensure a better, safer, happier future, is to let go of the past and move on, that while the world is cruel, that doesn't mean you have to be cruel as well, nor does it mean that every part of the world is cruel, the world isn't as black and white as that, neither is humanity, nor monsterkind.
As many others have said, Undertale Yellow is a farcry from the original Undertale. Undertale not only has a far better game design in its boss battles and actually balancing them out rather than making them the most unfair boss fights ever, but it's also more efficient with the time it is. Even though the game is not that long, it sufficiently fleshes out the character in a way that feels satisfying and complete, unlike Undertale Yellow where you're left wanting more. None of the characters end up memorable except for Clover and Flowey, who by far have the best characterization and are the best well-writtwn characters in the game, especially Flowey with surprisingly amazing dialogue like "I don't see a brave hero or whatever you pretend to be. All I see are those beloved memories, replaying over and over and over and over....and you want to know the best part? Even if you kill me, I know how this ends. There's never been any escaping it. That castle may as well be a coffin because you're already dead! You hear that?! You're dead ha ha!" Honestly they did such an excellent job with Clover that I may end up thinking he's better than Frisk, so props to them for what they did with our near silent protagonist who can either engage in true justice and selflessness (Pacifist) or engage in the twisted Iteration of justice, revenge, and selfishness (Genocide). But outside of Clover and Flowey, none of the other characters are given the profound moments they deserve to make them feel like anything more than characters used to lift up Clover and the narrative. Their personalities aren't bad though.
Undertale Yellow's world is also amazing. Definitely one of the best parts of the game. The Steamworks, the Dunes, the Mines, so many new locations and areas that expand on Undertale's world and help give it the life it deserves. The world building flourishes in this game, so does the music. Exploring the world while simatenously listening to the beautiful music that played was an amazing experience.
Yes, Undertale Yellow has pacing issues but it's not nearly as bad as some people say it is.
Considering I've only played one game so far this year, Undertale Yellow is probably my game of the year, but that can change very quickly as the game's quality isn't something that any other well-written game can't easily surpass.
Undertale Yellow is a great game and the effort, love, and passion that was put into the game does bear fruit here, it's not the perfect game, it has many flaws, but for what seems to be one of this team's first games, if not their first, they did a fantastic job, and they have my praise for that.
As many others have said, Undertale Yellow is a farcry from the original Undertale. Undertale not only has a far better game design in its boss battles and actually balancing them out rather than making them the most unfair boss fights ever, but it's also more efficient with the time it is. Even though the game is not that long, it sufficiently fleshes out the character in a way that feels satisfying and complete, unlike Undertale Yellow where you're left wanting more. None of the characters end up memorable except for Clover and Flowey, who by far have the best characterization and are the best well-writtwn characters in the game, especially Flowey with surprisingly amazing dialogue like "I don't see a brave hero or whatever you pretend to be. All I see are those beloved memories, replaying over and over and over and over....and you want to know the best part? Even if you kill me, I know how this ends. There's never been any escaping it. That castle may as well be a coffin because you're already dead! You hear that?! You're dead ha ha!" Honestly they did such an excellent job with Clover that I may end up thinking he's better than Frisk, so props to them for what they did with our near silent protagonist who can either engage in true justice and selflessness (Pacifist) or engage in the twisted Iteration of justice, revenge, and selfishness (Genocide). But outside of Clover and Flowey, none of the other characters are given the profound moments they deserve to make them feel like anything more than characters used to lift up Clover and the narrative. Their personalities aren't bad though.
Undertale Yellow's world is also amazing. Definitely one of the best parts of the game. The Steamworks, the Dunes, the Mines, so many new locations and areas that expand on Undertale's world and help give it the life it deserves. The world building flourishes in this game, so does the music. Exploring the world while simatenously listening to the beautiful music that played was an amazing experience.
Yes, Undertale Yellow has pacing issues but it's not nearly as bad as some people say it is.
Considering I've only played one game so far this year, Undertale Yellow is probably my game of the year, but that can change very quickly as the game's quality isn't something that any other well-written game can't easily surpass.
Undertale Yellow is a great game and the effort, love, and passion that was put into the game does bear fruit here, it's not the perfect game, it has many flaws, but for what seems to be one of this team's first games, if not their first, they did a fantastic job, and they have my praise for that.
Changed my view of Romance.
Fiction Peaked.